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Quiz about The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County

The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County Quiz

Also known as "The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County", the story was first published in 1865 and it is one of Mark Twain's most well-known short stories. Best of luck with the quiz.

A multiple-choice quiz by Triviaballer. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
Triviaballer

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
220,273

Updated
Jan 26 24

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
8 / 10

Plays
924

Awards
Top 20% Quiz

Last 3 plays: Guest 16 (9/10), Guest 207 (8/10), JanIQ (2/10).

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. The story begins with an unnamed narrator requesting information from an old man about someone named Leonidas W. Smiley. What is the name of this old man with a proclivity for storytelling? Hint

Ned Blakely

Goodman Brown

Simon Wheeler

Phillip Marlowe

NEXT>

Question 2 of 10

2. Instead of telling the narrator about Leonidas W. Smiley, the old man tells stories about a man named Jim Smiley. What addiction or bad habit do we learn that Jim Smiley has? Hint

Fighting

Smoking

Betting

Stealing

NEXT>

Question 3 of 10

3. Jim Smiley had a "small bull-pup" dog that had a very intimidating name. What was this battle-ready dog's name? Hint

George Washington

Herman Melville

John Paul Jones

Andrew Jackson

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Question 4 of 10

4. Jim Smiley's prized possession was obviously his "jumping frog". What famous political name did Smiley bestow on the frog? Hint

Henry Clay

Daniel Webster

John Calhoun

William Henry Harrison

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Question 5 of 10

5. How long did Jim Smiley "educate" his frog in order to make him a championship jumper? Hint

1 Year

3 Months

1 Week

1 Month

NEXT>

Question 6 of 10

6. A stranger tells Jim Smiley that he'd challenge Smiley's celebrated frog in a jumping contest, but he can not at the moment because he doesn't have a frog. What wager did Smiley make for this proposed contest? Hint

The contest was simply a friendly challenge with the prize being respect and a well-earned victory.

The loser buys the winner drinks for a week.

$40

The winner gets to keep the loser's frog.

NEXT>

Question 7 of 10

7. As Jim Smiley is searching for a frog to give to the stranger for the competition, the stranger engages in some foul business. What cheating act does the stranger do before the competition? Hint

He releases fire ants onto Smiley's frog.

He injures the back legs of Smiley's frog.

He pours quail-shot into Smiley's frog.

He puts a very sticky adhesive on the feet of Smiley's frog.

NEXT>

Question 8 of 10

8. The stranger ends up winning the competition because Jim Smiley's frog is unable to jump. What does the stranger say as he leaves the competition? Hint

I don't see why your priz'd frog wouldn' jump.

I'll take me a cold one on the house right 'bout now.

I don't see no p'ints about that frog that's any better'n any other frog.

Well I guess that's I'll be goin' now.

NEXT>

Question 9 of 10

9. After the stranger is gone, Jim Smiley tries to discern why his talented frog wouldn't jump. How does he discover that his frog has been tampered with? Hint

The frog won't allow Smiley to touch him.

He tries to feed the frog but he will not eat.

The frog has a very foul odor.

He picks the frog up and realizes that he weighs about five pounds.

NEXT>

Question 10 of 10

10. As the old man is about to finish the story of Jim Smiley's jumping frog, he is interrupted by another individual. The narrator attempts to leave the locale, but the old man catches up with him. The story ends with the old man beginning to tell the narrator about what? Hint

A three-eyed fish named Blinky.

A one-eyed cow.

A seven-toed sloth.

A six foot long otter.

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Most Recent Scores

Nov 18 2024 : Guest 16: 9/10
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Nov 17 2024 : JanIQ: 2/10
Oct 24 2024 : Guest 140: 8/10

Score Distribution

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. The story begins with an unnamed narrator requesting information from an old man about someone named Leonidas W. Smiley. What is the name of this old man with a proclivity for storytelling?

Answer: Simon Wheeler

The narrator describes how a friend of the old man (Simon Wheeler) told him to inquire about Leonidas W. Smiley because his friend knew that the old man would talk about Jim Smiley.

2. Instead of telling the narrator about Leonidas W. Smiley, the old man tells stories about a man named Jim Smiley. What addiction or bad habit do we learn that Jim Smiley has?

Answer: Betting

Jim Smiley would bet on everything from a horse race to which bird on a fence would fly away first.

3. Jim Smiley had a "small bull-pup" dog that had a very intimidating name. What was this battle-ready dog's name?

Answer: Andrew Jackson

The name seems like a great fit for a fighting dog. I'm glad that there are many laws now-a-days preventing betting on animal fighting.

4. Jim Smiley's prized possession was obviously his "jumping frog". What famous political name did Smiley bestow on the frog?

Answer: Daniel Webster

According to the old man, Dan'l Webster was the best leaping, most modest, and gifted frog in all of Calaveras County.

5. How long did Jim Smiley "educate" his frog in order to make him a championship jumper?

Answer: 3 Months

Jim Smiley trained (educated in Twainspeak) his frog for three straight months in his backyard. According to Smiley, "all a frog wanted was education, and he could do 'most anything".

Answer: $40

Forty dollars in 1865 is probably equivalent to over $1,000 today. With all that money at stake, Jim Smiley should've either taken Dan'l Webster or the stranger with him while looking for another frog.

7. As Jim Smiley is searching for a frog to give to the stranger for the competition, the stranger engages in some foul business. What cheating act does the stranger do before the competition?

Answer: He pours quail-shot into Smiley's frog.

How dishonorable! The stranger is probably the type of character that goes town-to-town scamming people.

8. The stranger ends up winning the competition because Jim Smiley's frog is unable to jump. What does the stranger say as he leaves the competition?

Answer: I don't see no p'ints about that frog that's any better'n any other frog.

The stranger first said this line about Dan'l Webster after Jim Smiley stated that his frog "can outjump any frog in Calaveras County". To make the comment again after winning an unfair competition is adding much undue insult.

9. After the stranger is gone, Jim Smiley tries to discern why his talented frog wouldn't jump. How does he discover that his frog has been tampered with?

Answer: He picks the frog up and realizes that he weighs about five pounds.

I suppose that a five pound frog is rather hefty. Smiley's suspicions were confirmed when Dan'l Webster vomited quail-shot several moments later.

Answer: A one-eyed cow.

The cow "didn't have no tail, only a short stump like a bannanner". Luckily for the narrator, he was able to escape the old man before he could tell a story about the bovine cyclops.

Source: Author Triviaballer

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Bruyere before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

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Referenced Topics

Literature People Animals Wild Birds Horse Names Mark Twain Andrew Jackson Mark Twain

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